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IN THE NEWS: NAMI Virginia

It can be a challenge to find the “right” therapist for you. You might come across someone who has a degree from an impressive school, writes extensively on psychology and mental illness, gives lectures and talks, and still isn’t an effective therapist. And while it is important for therapists to be educated, trained and up-to-date on current practices, there is so much more to a good therapist than just their background and education.

Self-harm is difficult to understand because it goes against the natural human instinct of self-preservation. Maybe that’s why some people react to it in a negative, judgmental way. They can’t imagine ever being in a state of mind where they would hurt themselves, so they can’t understand why anyone else would.

This lack of understanding can lead to insensitivity and stigma towards people who are often already struggling with serious emotional turmoil. Read More

Virginia has one of the worst rankings for access to mental health care in the country – according to the Mental Health America.

“It might surprise you to learn that Virginia is ranked 42nd for access to care,” said Republican Senator Glen Sturtevant, speaking on the Senate floor this week about a bill that would exempt new psychiatric facilities from a state certificate process in an effort to expand access to care.

Legislators in Virginia will consider a number of budget amendments during the current General Assembly session to help alleviate the hurdles facing law enforcement officers and inpatient treatment facilities when transporting and treating mental health patients.

“Mental health transports by law enforcement is an issue the entire Southwest Virginia delegation is aware of,” Del. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, said Friday. “In fact, Speaker of the House Kirk Cox met with us and members of local law enforcement Read More

Across the country, more than 10 million people with mental illness rely on Medicaid, including many who live with severe conditions. Medicaid helps address the nation’s mental health care crisis by paying for services that people need, such as medications, case management, therapy, peer supports, crises and hospital care.

Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) emphasized the goal of self-sufficiency through employment. On Jan. 11, CMS issued a State Medicaid Director letter supporting Read More

As soon as her baby was born, Anna felt a change. Something wasn’t right. She feared for her baby’s safety to an extreme degree. She would sit awake, staring at her baby through the night, terrified something would go wrong, and her daughter would die. After feeding, Anna wouldn’t allow herself to leave her baby’s side for even a moment, worrying something would happen in her absence.